A Second Transcontinental Nation (1872)

This documentary explores the years following Canadian Confederation, a delicate period in regard to American attitudes towards Canada. This was a critical time for the two countries, and the complex diplomacy of the Treaty of Washington is brought to life.

This installment of a documentary series from the late 1960s presents a fascinating study of the great and enduring principles of international relations. Through this close look at Canada and the American Civil War, and the relationship between Canada, Britain, the North and the South, we get a sense of the delicate balance between war and peace, and the diplomacy involved.

In this installment of a documentary series from the late 1960s, we survey the period between 1840 and 1860. Canada considers its options—annexation, continentalism, free trade, and economic nationalism—while the "one continent, one nation, one flag" ideology enjoys strong support on both sides of the border.

This short fiction film tells the story of John A. MacDonald’s rise to power. Canada’s first Prime Minister and one of the Fathers of the Confederation, MacDonald didn’t enjoy an easy political career. When he first shared his vision of a Dominion reaching from sea to sea – an audacious proposal regarded as uncertain even by his supporters – his opponents derided him. “The fox is out of tricks," they taunted. "Bankrupt of ideas, he offers us clouds." This film offers us a memorable flashback

This feature documentary provides a gripping retrospective of United States-Canada relationships through a study of successive presidents and prime ministers. Using archival film footage, it demonstrates that Canadian prime ministers, from John A. Macdonald down, all began their tenures by making overtures to their American counterparts. Attitudes and outcomes have varied widely. The almost comic antipathy between Kennedy and Diefenbaker, for instance, is as palpable here as is the folksy camaraderie of Reagan and Mulroney. Part four of Reckoning: The Political Economy of Canada series.

This documentary short is a portrait of Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and 13th prime minister of Canada, John George Diefenbaker (1895-1979). Diefenbaker's political career spanned 6 decades. When he died in 1979, his state funeral and final train trip west became more a celebration of life than a victory for death. Interweaving scenes from past and present, the film crafts a tribute to an illustrious Canadian and records how a nation paused to pay homage to "The Chief."

This installment of a documentary series from the late 1960s takes us from the 1850s to 1863. We see several historical episodes from this period interwoven in a unique fashion. The film reveals the complex relationship between Great Britain, Canada, the North and the South—before, during, and after the American Civil War.

This documentary, part of a series from the late 1960s, focuses on the contest for the continental interior. It examines the American advantages and the problems plaguing Canada internally. It also looks at the Oregon and Maine boundaries, American anti-monarchism, and a potential sign of a "transcontinental nation to come."

See also: The Friendly Fifties and the Sinister Sixties (1850–1863) and The Triumphant Union and the Canadian Confederation (1863-1867).

In this short film, a curious high school civics class has a lot of questions about Canadian history. Suddenly, while the class is visiting Robert Harris’ famous painting The Fathers of Confederation, John A. MacDonald comes to life from the painting and speaks to the students, explaining the Canadian Constitution and the reasons for it. This lively animated meditation on history and art is an engaging portal to the lessons of the past.

This short documentary follows Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh as they visit Canada to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Confederation. A hundred years earlier, the Fathers of Confederation had gathered in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, to discuss the idea of a united Canada. At a time when Canadians are once again reassessing the nature and role of the diverse communities within Canada, the Queen’s arrival unites onlookers in the idea of Canada as one great nation.

This feature documentary is an inquiry into Canada's economic troubles of the 1970 and '80s. The film summarizes the facts at hand, including some pre-NAFTA speculation about economic dependency on the United States. At roughly thirty percent, the Canada of a few decades ago was more foreign-owned than any other country in the world. Still, however, a great and stubborn national pride in our cultural and social idiosyncrasies persists, resulting in the confidence to look elsewhere besides the United States for economic alliances and models. This episode is the fifth and last part of the series Reckoning: The Political Economy of Canada.